Being more productive at work isn’t rocket science, but it does require being more deliberate about how you manage your time. Keeping productivity levels high when you’re job hunting in particular can be tricky.
We often talk about ‘there isn’t enough hours in the day/days in the week’ and that is true, so we are left with 2 choices – work more hours, or use the working hours that we have more smartly.
Boosting productivity in work is a mind-shift, and one that’s easy to choose with our 5 simple tips:
1 – Manage your time better
Start out with a ‘to-do’ list. It clears your head and commits tasks and actions to paper. You’re then able to look at said list and prioritise based on deadlines, what’s critical to the business and to you achieving a goal or target. If what you’re doing isn’t getting you closer to the outcome you’re looking for then why are you doing it? Delegate tasks that don’t require your attention to free yourself up some space and keep an eye on how much time each activity takes to complete. You may think you’re pretty good at gauging how much time you’re spending on various tasks but we can always improve, and it can surprise us.
2 – Set yourself deadlines/targets
You may be surprised to discover just how focused and productive you can be when you’re watching the clock. Self-imposed deadlines and targets can actually be helpful in terms of giving us focus and helping us meet our goals. If you’re the competitive sort have a competition with co-workers, or even yourself.
3 – Stop trying to multi-task
Whilst we tend to think of the ability to multitask as an important skill for increasing efficiency, the opposite may in fact be true. Attempting to do several tasks at once can result in lost time and productivity. Instead, give tasks the time they deserve and make a habit of committing to a single task before moving on to your next project.
4 – Take advantage of your commute
This goes for any unexpected time you may find on your hands. Instead of Snapchatting or endlessly scrolling through your facebook feed, use that time to fire out some emails, create your daily to-do list, or do some brainstorming. This will make your day flow better from start to finish and give you a head start.
Taking scheduled breaks can actually help improve concentration. Taking short breaks during long tasks helps you to maintain a constant level of performance; while working at a task without breaks leads to a steady decline in performance. Go for a stroll around the business park or into the city for a sandwich at lunchtime, rather than eating at your desk. It’s amazing how some fresh air can inspire some of the best thoughts and enable you to reflect on the task in hand before continuing.
You’ll also be more productive at work with a healthy lifestyle and work/life balance. Check out our other blog posts here for more advice https://www.glurecruit.co.uk/blog/